a drumming or rattling tape (these can be bought over the
web at www.shamanism.org. I
prefer the multiple drumming tape but any one will work just
fine.)

a blindfold

a quiet place to do the work, and

a mental picture of an entrance to the
earth you have seen at some time in your life.

Find a quiet and comfortable location where you will not be interrupted. Avoid distractions like telephones ringing, children yelling, and television blaring. When you become proficient at journeying you will be able to do so in your office while sitting at your desk. If, while you are journeying and a noise or distraction does occur, rather than letting it derail you, simply use it to go deeper into your journey.

Two vital aspects of a successful effort are your starting point
and your intention. Your starting point will be an entrance to the
earth that is known to you from your own life's experience. A swimming
hole, a well, a cave, a tunnel, a hole in the center of an old stump,
an uncovered manhole. I always use a cave I explored in the Philippines.
It is very important to have a clear image of this place.
You do not have to have entered it (like the well) but the picture
in your mind must be vivid. I find that many people have difficulty
when they are learning to journey because they don't have a good
departure point.

Once you have your entrance, determine what you want from your journey.
Intention is one of the most important and powerful tools used by
the shaman. So before each journey, state a single intention for
that experience. For your first effort your intention might be:
"to experience a journey to the lower world to explore." When you
have done that, on another journey you might ask to find a power
animal. And when you have met your power animal, on yet another
journey you might ask it, "what advice would you have for me about
a current opportunity or dilemma you are facing. It is best to have
only one intention per journey.

If you are going to find a power animal, check your ego at the entrance. When you embark on this journey be prepared to fully accept and embrace whatever the spirits offer. I remember well my first effort to retrieve an animal totem. I have always loved cats and was certain I was going down to get a nice big, powerful, sleek, awesome hunter. I was mired in my own ego. Imagine my shock when I saw a cow, then a close-up of a cow's eye, then a herd, and finally a little calf. I remember saying to myself, "You've got to be kidding me!" Well, the spirits always give you exactly what you need. Whether you like it or not, your power animal is always perfect for you. As for me, I had that masculine macho thing handled and didn't need a big cat. A cow is about nurturing. It is a provider of sustenance and clothing…a decidedly feminine energy. And that was perfect for me at that time. As fair warning on this issue, know three things:

I have never had anyone yet successfully predict what his/her
power animal would be.

In addition to retrieving eagles, lions and deer for others, I have also brought back ants, eels, squirrels, snakes, monkeys, and spiders.

It is not appropriate to reject a power
animal and ask for another one. Trust that what you received is
perfect for you. Just spend time with it and you will come to this
realization yourself.

In order to learn about your power animal, its history, legend in myth, and meaning,
I recommend a book called Animal-Speak: The Spiritual & Magical
Powers of Creatures Great and Small by Ted Andrews.1952, Llewellyn
Publications Worldwide, Ltd. P.O.Box 64383, St. Paul, MN 55164.